RICHMOND, Va. — Universal masking is now recommended for 27 localities in Virginia, including Metro Richmond, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The update comes as new cases in Virginia increased 2% this week and 73.7% of Virginians are fully vaccinated against the virus, according to the Virginia Department of Health. COVID cases in the U.S. increased (awaiting Friday CDC update), and 82.7% of the country's total population (people 5+) has received at least one vaccine dose, the CDC reported in its weekly update.
The agency released an updated map Thursday, May 26 with county-by-county color designations to indicate whether residents should wear masks or not.
"There are three levels (low, medium, high), which are determined by looking at hospital beds being used by patients with COVID-19, new hospital admissions among people with COVID-19, and the total number of new COVID-19 cases in your area," CDC officials wrote.
IN-DEPTH:New COVID cases in Virginia up 2% last week; 73.7% of Virginians now fully vaccinated
Scroll down for a complete alphabetized list city/county-by-county breakdown of localities in Virginia
Nearly 30 localities in Virginia now rank as high where masking indoors is recommended by the CDC. That includes Chesterfield, Colonial Heights, Goochland, Hanover, Henrico, New Kent and the City of Richmond.
This is the first time many of these localities have ranked high since the CDC released its new ranking system on Feb. 25 that focuses less on positive test results and more on what’s happening at hospitals.
Sixty-five localities in the Commonwealth now rank as medium, including much of the rest of Central Virginia. Fifty-two localities now rank as low.
Officials with the Richmond and Henrico Health Districts (RHHD) said with the move up to high comes new safety recommendations from the CDC.
"The biggest difference between high and some of the lower level guidance is we are strongly recommending people wear masks while in indoor public spaces now. Especially individuals who are immunocompromised, at high risk of severe illness, or those people that might be around people that are at higher risks," said RHHD Epidemiologist Emily Rich. "We also recommend that masks are worn anytime you're on public transportation that includes buses, airplanes, trains, etc. You should also wear masks in school or clinical settings. And of course, you can always wear masks if you just prefer to."
Rich said people who are immunocompromised should also consider additional precautions.
"There is a list on the CDC website of some conditions that might put you into that higher risk category," said Rich. "So, I definitely recommend people check the CDC website and talk to their healthcare providers to figure out what additional recommendations they might be following."
The CDC also continues to recommend people to get tested if they are showing symptoms, regardless of the level in their community.
"In Richmond, you can get free tests from some of the libraries," said Rich, who added you can also get free tests from the federal government. "And if you would like to get a test that's not an at home test, Richmond and Henrico do host several testing events each week, which you can find on our website. You can also always pick up tests from a pharmacy and submit a claim with your insurance if you have insurance."
Scroll down for a complete alphabetized list city/county-by-county breakdown of localities in Virginia
High Community Level
- Wear a mask indoors in public
- Stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines
- Get tested if you have symptoms
- Additional precautions may be needed for people at high risk for severe illness
- 27 Virginia localities this week; up from 5 localities last week
Albemarle (ranked medium last week)
Appomattox (ranked medium last week)
Bedford (ranked medium last week)
Botetourt (ranked low last week)
Buckingham (ranked low last week)
Charlotte (ranked medium last week)
Charlottesville (ranked medium last week)
Chesterfield (ranked medium last week)
Colonial Heights (ranked low last week)
Fluvanna (ranked medium last week)
Franklin County (ranked low last week)
Goochland (ranked medium last week)
Greene (ranked medium last week)
Halifax (ranked medium last week)
Hanover (ranked medium last week)
Henrico (ranked medium last week)
Lancaster (ranked low last week)
Lunenburg (ranked low last week)
Mecklenburg (ranked low last week)
Nelson (ranked medium last week)
New Kent (ranked medium last week)
Norton (ranked medium last week)
Orange (ranked medium last week)
Richmond City (ranked medium last week)
Roanoke City (ranked medium last week)
Roanoke County (ranked medium last week)
Wise (ranked low last week)
Medium Community Level
- If you are at high risk for severe illness, talk to your healthcare provider about whether you need to wear a mask and take other precautions
- Stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines
- Get tested if you have symptoms
- 65 Virginia localities this week; up from 52 localities last week
Alexandria (no change from last week)
Amelia (ranked low last week)
Amherst (ranked low last week)
Arlington (no change from last week)
Augusta (ranked high last week)
Bath (ranked low last week)
Campbell (ranked low last week)
Caroline (ranked low last week)
Carroll (no change from last week)
Charles City (ranked low last week)
Chesapeake (no change from last week)
Covington (ranked low last week)
Craig (ranked low last week)
Culpeper (ranked low last week)
Cumberland (no change from last week)
Danville (no change from last week)
Dickenson (ranked low last week)
Emporia (ranked low last week)
Essex (ranked low last week)
Fairfax County (no change from last week)
Falls Church (no change from last week)
Floyd (ranked low last week)
Frederick (ranked low last week)
Fredericksburg (no change from last week)
Galax (no change from last week)
Greensville (ranked low last week)
Hampton (no change from last week)
Henry (ranked low last week)
Highland (ranked high last week)
Isle of Wight (ranked low last week)
James City (no change from last week)
King and Queen (ranked low last week)
King George (no change from last week)
King William (ranked low last week)
Lee (ranked low last week)
Lexington (ranked high last week)
Loudoun (no change from last week)
Louisa (no change from last week)
Lynchburg (ranked low last week)
Madison (ranked low last week)
Manassas (no change from last week)
Middlesex (ranked low last week)
Montgomery (no change from last week)
Newport News (no change from last week)
Northampton (ranked low last week)
Northumberland (ranked low last week)
Nottoway (ranked low last week)
Patrick (ranked low last week)
Pittsylvania (ranked low last week)
Poquoson (ranked low last week)
Powhatan (ranked low last week)
Prince Edward (ranked low last week)
Prince George (no change from last week)
Prince William (no change from last week)
Radford (no change from last week)
Rappahannock (ranked low last week)
Richmond County (no change from last week)
Salem (ranked low last week)
Spotsylvania (no change from last week)
Stafford (no change from last week)
Virginia Beach (no change from last week)
Warren (ranked low last week)
Waynesboro (ranked high last week)
Westmoreland (ranked low last week)
York (no change from last week)
Low Community Level
- Stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines
- Get tested if you have symptoms
- 41 Virginia localities this week; down from 76 localities last week
Accomack (no change from last week)
Alleghany (no change from last week)
Bland (no change from last week)
Bristol (no change from last week)
Brunswick (no change from last week)
Buchanan (no change from last week)
Buena Vista (ranked medium last week)
Clarke (no change from last week)
Dinwiddie (ranked medium last week)
Fairfax City (no change from last week)
Fauquier (no change from last week)
Franklin City (ranked medium last week)
Giles (ranked medium last week)
Gloucester (no change from last week)
Grayson (ranked medium last week)
Harrisonburg (no change from last week)
Hopewell (no change from last week)
Manassas Park (ranked medium last week)
Martinsville (no change from last week)
Mathews (no change from last week)
Norfolk (no change from last week)
Page (no change from last week)
Petersburg (no change from last week)
Portsmouth (no change from last week)
Pulaski (no change from last week)
Rockbridge (ranked medium last week)
Rockingham (no change from last week)
Russell (no change from last week)
Scott (no change from last week)
Shenandoah (no change from last week)
Smyth (no change from last week)
Southampton (no change from last week)
Staunton (ranked high last week)
Suffolk (ranked medium last week)
Surry (no change from last week)
Sussex (no change from last week)
Tazewell (no change from last week)
Washington (no change from last week)
Williamsburg (no change from last week)
Winchester (no change from last week)
Wythe (no change from last week)
RELATED: County-by-county look at COVID-19 cases in Virginia; which areas saw most cases last week
Full Virginia City/County-by-County Breakdown
Accomack Low
Albemarle High
Alexandria Medium
Alleghany Low
Amelia Medium
Amherst Medium
Appomattox High
Arlington Medium
Augusta Medium
Bath Medium
Bedford High
Bland Low
Botetourt High
Bristol Low
Brunswick Low
Buchanan Low
Buckingham High
Buena Vista Low
Campbell Medium
Caroline Medium
Carroll Medium
Charles City Medium
Charlotte High
Charlottesville High
Chesapeake Medium
Chesterfield High
Clarke Low
Colonial Heights High
Covington Medium
Craig Medium
Culpeper Medium
Cumberland Medium
Danville Medium
Dickenson Medium
Dinwiddie Low
Emporia Medium
Essex Medium
Fairfax County Medium
Fairfax City Low
Falls Church Medium
Fauquier Low
Floyd Medium
Fluvanna High
Franklin County High
Franklin City Low
Frederick Medium
Fredericksburg Medium
Galax Medium
Giles Low
Gloucester Low
Goochland High
Grayson Low
Greene High
Greensville Medium
Halifax High
Hampton Medium
Hanover High
Harrisonburg Low
Henrico High
Henry Medium
Highland Medium
Hopewell Low
Isle of Wight Medium
James Medium
King and Queen Medium
King George Medium
King William Medium
Lancaster High
Lee Medium
Lexington Medium
Loudoun Medium
Louisa Medium
Lunenburg High
Lynchburg Medium
Madison Medium
Manassas Medium
Manassas Park Low
Martinsville Low
Mathews Low
Mecklenburg High
Middlesex Medium
Montgomery Medium
Nelson High
New Kent High
Newport News Medium
Norfolk Low
Northampton Medium
Northumberland Medium
Norton High
Nottoway Medium
Orange High
Page Low
Patrick Medium
Petersburg Low
Pittsylvania Medium
Poquoson Medium
Portsmouth Low
Powhatan Medium
Prince Edward Medium
P:rince George Medium
Prince William Medium
Pulaski Low
Radford Medium
Rappahannock Medium
Richmond County Medium
Richmond City High
Roanoke County High
Roanoke City High
Rockbridge Low
Rockingham Low
Russell Low
Salem Medium
Scott Low
Shenandoah Low
Smyth Low
Southampton Low
Spotsylvania Medium
Stafford Medium
Staunton Low
Suffolk Low
Surry Low
Sussex Low
Tazewell Low
Virginia Beach Medium
Warren Medium
Washington Low
Waynesboro Medium
Westmoreland Medium
Williamsburg Low
Winchester Low
Wise High
Wythe Low
York Medium
Virginians age 5+ are eligible for COVID-19 vaccine. Go to Vaccine Finderto search for specific vaccines available near you or call 877-VAX-IN-VA (877-275-8343).
Click here for more information from the Virginia Department of Health.